BALTIMORE, Md. (7News) — Maryland transportation officials are accelerating efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as they continue to assess potential safety measures in response to the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year.
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is currently in the planning stages of a $145 million pier protection project aimed at safeguarding the 70-year-old Bay Bridge from modern ship strikes. The goal is to enhance the bridge’s resilience against vessel impacts, with a target completion date set for late 2027.
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Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by modern, larger cargo vessels navigating aging infrastructure. Maryland’s bridge engineers are now working diligently to prevent a similar disaster from occurring on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
“I think we have to start reevaluating because now with the Panama Canal width expansion, we’re getting PanaMex ships which are much bigger, much heavier,” structural engineer and past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers Andy Herrman told 7 News. “When you’re designing new bridges you may make the piers robust enough that they can take a hit.”
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The Bay Bridge, which sees an average of 80,000 vehicles daily, is classified as ‘fracture critical,’ meaning the entire bridge could be compromised if any major support structure fails. The MDTA acknowledges that the bridge’s current protective measures — such as fenders — are not as robust as the advanced systems used in more modern bridge designs. The planned upgrades may include physical barriers like dolphins, which are structures designed to redirect ships away from support piers, to decrease the risk of collision.
The urgency for enhanced pier protection grew after a near-miss incident on Aug. 1.
A 50-year-old naval vessel lost steering control near the bridge, prompting the captain to request that the bridge be closed to traffic.
“This could happen in any of your districts,” National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy warned during a congressional hearing in May, underscoring the potential for catastrophic failures across aging infrastructure nationwide.
MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner said the agency expects to finalize plans for the pier protection system by the end of the year, allowing the procurement process to begin shortly after. MDTA is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Bay Pilots, and engineers to develop bridge protection solutions that include better vessel monitoring, emergency response procedures, and innovative pier protection options as part of the planning process.
